
- BGG rank
- BGG #234
- BGG rating
- 7.6
Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition)
- 1–5 players
- 120 min
- Complexity 3.2/5
- 2012

Rules assistance for Descent: The Sea of Blood
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Descent: The Sea of Blood is an expansion for Descent: Journeys in the Dark released in 2009 for 2–5 players, 240 minutes per game, and ages 13 and up. It was designed by Kevin Wilson, Robert A. Kouba, and Sally Karkula and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Area Movement, and Dice Rolling.
The Sea of Blood expansion allows players to take their Descent games to the high seas. New board sections include large expansive ocean tiles with scattered islands, as well as large ship decks with additional tiles featuring ships' cannons. The expansion includes an expansive overworld map featuring new sea areas and island locations to explore. The expansion also features new sea journey rules and adventures, as well as equipment and treasure cards and additional tuck boxes for packing the game away during longer campaigns.
Descent: The Sea of Blood supports 2–5 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Descent: The Sea of Blood is 240 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Descent: The Sea of Blood for ages 13 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Descent: The Sea of Blood has a complexity rating of 3.4 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-weight game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Descent: The Sea of Blood belongs to these categories: Fantasy, Exploration, and Adventure. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Area Movement, and Dice Rolling. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Descent: The Sea of Blood are: Kevin Wilson, Robert A. Kouba, and Sally Karkula. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Descent: The Sea of Blood as an expansion for Descent: Journeys in the Dark. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Descent: Journeys in the Dark to use it. Check that your edition of Descent: Journeys in the Dark is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.